OK, let’s get the burning question out of the way first: No, we still don’t know who the last “Survivor” is. There were five of the blockbuster show’s castoffs at CBS’ fall press tour, interrogated under a hot spotlight by a roomful of overly air-conditioned journalists. But a happily reunited Sonja, B.B., Ramona, Joel and Gretchen (as well as the show’s executive producer, Mark Burnett) didn’t budge, although Gretchen did joke, “Everybody already knows who the winner is. It would be Mr. Burnett and CBS.”
We reporters tried. We crept up from all sides, seeking clues and asking about those recent reports saying that a glitch in the CBS Web site had unwittingly revealed that the winner of “Survivor” is Gervase, the quarrelsome youth counselor.
In response, CBS Television President Les Moonves announced that the network will now post the show synopses only after each episode has aired, rather than prepare it ahead of time with system blockage (rather ineffective, since a computer hacker revealed the results prematurely).
Moonves also pledged that unused “Survivor” footage won’t make its way into Blockbuster stores, a la “The Jerry Springer Show.” In other words, “There will not be any more naked pictures of Richard than we already have out there,” Moonves says.
By contrast, the press conference for CBS’ other (and less successful) reality series, “Big Brother,” was one of the most heated — and torturous. William “Mega” Collins, the first houseguest to be voted off the show, was paraded before the press, and he was less-than-charming and confrontational as usual.
But that doesn’t necessarily make him interesting. After the umpteenth roundabout spiritual oration in response to questions regarding his former association with the New Black Panther Party for Self Defense, a reporter scribbled his potential headline on a notepad and passed it to another to see: “Big Bore-ther.”
The rest of the press tour (aka the unreality section) was mostly humdrum, as the Eye Network trotted out the stars and producers of three new sitcoms and four new dramas. Four, that is, if you count “The Fugitive,” the remake of the popular 1960s David Janssen series that inspired the 1993 Harrison Ford film. This one stars Tim Daly in the title role and Mykelti Williamson (“Forrest Gump”) as the chaser.
Most of the new shows read like a TV-vet reunion party: Craig T. Nelson (“Coach”) as an underdog police chief in the crime drama “The District”; Christine Baranski (“Cybill”) in the weatherman sitcom “Welcome to New York”; Marg Helgenberger (“China Beach”) in “C.S.I.,” a drama about forensic investigators.
The others are made up of short-lived sitcom refugees: The cast of “That’s Life,” a drama about a 30-something college student, stars Heather Paige Kent (“Jenny,” “Stark Raving Mad”); and Anthony Clark, Mike O’Malley and Jean Louisa Kelly team up for the couple-y comedy “Yes, Dear.” Anyone remember “Boston Common,” “The Mike O’Malley Show” and “Cold Feet,” respectively? We didn’t think so.
The weary press were also treated to appearances by Tyne Daly and Blair Underwood for returning dramas “Judging Amy” and “City of Angels,” respectively. Christopher Plummer, Ving Rhames and Bruno Kirby discussed their still-filming miniseries “An American Tragedy,” about the O.J. Simpson defense trial team. And let’s not forget Bette Midler, who appeared via satellite to promote “Bette,” a sitcom about a diva/wife/mother.
In between, the good people at CBS scheduled screenings, served fruit smoothies and root beer floats, and threw a star-filled party, without, as they said, “the island cuisine afforded the 16 castaways.”
Translation? Not a fried rat in sight.
